JP5266624B2 - Droplet ejector and method for manufacturing droplet ejector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid droplet jetting apparatus and a manufacturing method of the liquid droplet jetting apparatus capable of preventing a liquid repellent film in the vicinity of nozzle ejection outlet from being damaged and capable of readily forming a structure therefor. <P>SOLUTION: An ink jet head 1 has a channel unit 2 in which an ink channel is formed, a nozzle 20 communicating with the ink channel, and the liquid repellent film 42 formed on an ink jetting surface 41 on which the ejection outlet of the nozzle 20 is disposed. A nozzle plate 15 joined with the channel unit 2 is provided at the part including a vicinity portion of the nozzle 20 is provided. In an unjoined portion 45 of the nozzle plate 15 that is not joined with the channel unit 2, a protruding portion 43 which bulges toward the side opposite to the channel unit 2 with respect to the vicinity portion of the nozzle 20 is formed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a droplet ejecting apparatus that ejects droplets and a method for manufacturing the droplet ejecting apparatus.

  In an inkjet head that ejects ink from a nozzle onto a recording sheet or the like, if ink adheres around the nozzle outlet when ink droplets are ejected, the ejected droplets are ejected next by the adhered ink. The direction may be bent, or the volume and speed of the droplets may vary, resulting in a decrease in print quality. Therefore, in a general inkjet head, a liquid repellent film (ink repellent film) is formed on the droplet ejection surface on which the nozzle outlet is disposed in order to prevent ink from adhering to the vicinity of the nozzle outlet. Has been.

  However, since the recording paper or the like that is the target of droplet ejection is transported with a very small gap (for example, about 1 mm) between the droplet ejection surface, the recording paper or the like is ejected by droplets during transportation. There is a risk that damage such as separation of the liquid repellent film may occur due to contact with the surface. In addition, the liquid repellent film may be damaged due to friction with the wiper when wiping the droplet ejection surface with a wiper in order to remove ink or dust adhered to the droplet ejection surface. is there. Due to such factors, when the liquid repellent film around the nozzle outlet is damaged, the droplet ejection direction is bent, and the print quality is deteriorated.

  In view of this, there has been proposed an ink jet head capable of preventing damage to the liquid repellent film formed in the vicinity of the nozzle outlet. For example, in the inkjet head described in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-255702), a portion of the nozzle plate around the nozzle outlet is pressed by an elastic body from the surface side, and a recess is formed in this portion. Has been. Further, in the ink jet head described in Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-276204), a portion of the nozzle plate around the nozzle outlet is partially removed by laser processing or etching to form a recess. Is formed. These recesses make it difficult for the liquid repellent film formed in the vicinity of the nozzle to come into contact with recording paper conveyed near the liquid ejection surface, wipers that operate during wiping, etc. Damage is prevented.

JP 2004-255702 A JP 2003-276204 A

  In the above-described ink jet head of Patent Document 1, an elastic body is pressed from the surface side of the nozzle plate to form a recess. However, in practice, the diameter of the nozzle is very small (for example, about 20 μm), and the interval between adjacent nozzles is also small, so it is necessary to accurately form a recess around the outlet of each nozzle. However, in the method of pressing an elastic body around the emission port of each nozzle as in Patent Document 1, it is very difficult to form the recess with high accuracy.

  In addition, the inkjet head disclosed in Patent Document 2 requires special processing for forming a recess with high accuracy, such as removing a portion of the nozzle plate around the nozzle outlet by laser processing, etching, or the like. , Manufacturing costs are high.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a droplet ejecting apparatus capable of preventing damage to the liquid repellent film around the nozzle outlet and a method for manufacturing the droplet ejecting apparatus capable of easily forming a structure therefor. It is.

Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the flow path unit in which the liquid flow path is formed, the nozzle communicating with the liquid flow path, and the liquid ejection surface on which the emission port of the nozzle is disposed are formed. A nozzle plate that has a liquid repellent film and is bonded to the flow path unit at a portion including the periphery of the nozzle and provided with a non-bonded portion that is not bonded to the flow path unit. In the non-joint portion, a protrusion higher than the periphery of the nozzle is formed on the liquid ejection surface, and the non-joint portion is disposed between the non-joint portion of the nozzle plate and the flow path unit. There is provided a liquid droplet ejecting apparatus in which a space is formed in which a fluid for forming the protruding portion is formed by being bent to the opposite side of the flow path unit .

According to the first aspect of the present invention, in the liquid droplet ejecting apparatus of the present invention, the nozzle plate is joined to the flow path unit at a portion including the periphery (near part) of the nozzle. On the other hand, the non-joining part of the nozzle plate is formed with a projecting part that projects to the opposite side of the flow path unit. Therefore, this protrusion protects the liquid-repellent film formed around the nozzle from mechanical friction with the recording medium transported close to the liquid ejecting surface and the wiper that operates during wiping. Damage to the surrounding liquid repellent film is prevented. Further, the protruding portion is formed by bending a non-joining portion away from the nozzle periphery to the side opposite to the flow path unit. Therefore, as compared with the conventional case where the recess is formed by laser processing around the nozzle, strict accuracy control is not required, and it is easy to form the protruding portion. Further, since the space between the non-joined portion of the nozzle plate and the flow path unit can be used as a space to which the fluid for forming the protruding portion is supplied, the fluid is supplied into this space, and this fluid is supplied. Thus, the non-joined portion can be expanded to form the protruding portion, and the protruding portion can be easily formed.

  In the liquid droplet ejecting apparatus according to the aspect of the invention, the surface of the protruding portion may be formed into a smoothly continuous curved surface. In this configuration, it is easier to remove liquid droplets, dust, and the like attached to the liquid ejection surface during wiping than when the protruding portion is formed in a stepped shape.

  In the liquid droplet ejecting apparatus according to the aspect of the invention, the space may constitute a part of the liquid channel. In this case, since a part of the liquid channel can be used as a space to which a fluid for forming the protrusion is supplied, it is not necessary to form this space separately from the liquid channel.

  In the liquid droplet ejecting apparatus according to the aspect of the invention, the space may be formed independently of the liquid flow path, and the flow path unit may include a communication path that communicates the outside with the space. . In this case, the fluid can be reliably supplied to the space formed between the non-joined portion of the nozzle plate and the flow path unit via the communication path.

  In the liquid droplet ejecting apparatus according to the aspect of the invention, the nozzle is formed as a plurality of ejecting nozzles on the nozzle plate, the liquid channel has a common liquid chamber communicating with the plurality of ejecting nozzles, and the channel unit is And a plurality of plates including a first plate and a second plate, each of the plurality of plates having a plurality of holes forming the liquid flow path, and being joined to each other in a stacked state. A second plate in which a first plate having a space forming hole for forming the space is joined, and the space and the common liquid chamber are joined on a surface of the first plate opposite to the nozzle plate. It may be partitioned by. When ejecting droplets from the nozzle, pressure is applied to the liquid between the common liquid chamber and the nozzle by an actuator or the like. At this time, pressure fluctuations occur in the common liquid chamber communicating with a plurality of ejection nozzles. If this pressure fluctuation is large, adverse effects such as variations in the volume and speed of liquid droplets ejected from other ejection nozzles occur. . However, in the present invention, since the space for supplying the fluid for forming the protrusion and the common liquid chamber are partitioned by the second plate, the pressure fluctuation in the common liquid chamber is attenuated by the second plate. It becomes possible to make it.

  In the liquid droplet ejecting apparatus of the present invention, the nozzle plate may be formed of a synthetic resin material. Thus, when the nozzle plate is made of a synthetic resin material having low rigidity, it is easy to deform the non-joined portion to form the protruding portion.

  In the liquid droplet ejecting apparatus according to the aspect of the invention, the thickness of the nozzle plate may be partially reduced at the non-joining portion. In this case, since the rigidity of the non-joining part is partially reduced, it is easy to deform the non-joining part and form the protruding part.

  In the liquid droplet ejecting apparatus according to the aspect of the invention, the protrusion may be disposed so as to surround a region where the nozzle is formed. In this case, damage to the liquid repellent film around the nozzle can be reliably prevented.

  In the liquid droplet ejecting apparatus according to the aspect of the invention, the nozzle may be formed as a plurality of individual nozzles arranged in a row on the nozzle plate, and the protrusion may be arranged in parallel with the row direction of the individual nozzles. Good. In this case, droplets can be ejected from a number of individual nozzles simultaneously. Further, by providing the protrusions in parallel with the individual nozzle rows, for example, when the liquid droplet ejecting apparatus of the present invention is used as an ink jet line printer or a serial printer, the recording medium is liquid repellent around the individual nozzles. Contact with the membrane can be reliably prevented.

  In the liquid droplet ejecting apparatus according to the aspect of the invention, the nozzle is formed as a plurality of ejection nozzles arranged in a row on the nozzle plate, and the flow path unit and the nozzle plate are orthogonal to the row direction of the ejection nozzles. The protruding portion may be disposed outside a region where the plurality of injection nozzles are formed in the nozzle plate with respect to a direction orthogonal to the row direction. As described above, when the droplet ejecting apparatus is configured in a serial type that moves in a direction (second direction: scanning direction) orthogonal to the arrangement direction (first direction) of the individual nozzles, in the scanning direction. Since the protrusion is formed outside the region where the individual nozzle is formed with respect to a certain second direction, the wiper that moves relative to the nozzle plate in the scanning direction at the time of wiping is a liquid repellent film around the individual nozzle. Can be prevented from touching.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the flow path unit in which the liquid flow path is formed, the nozzle communicating with the liquid flow path, and the liquid ejection surface on which the emission port of the nozzle is disposed are formed. A nozzle plate that has a liquid repellent film and is bonded to the flow path unit at a portion including the periphery of the nozzle and provided with a non-bonded portion that is not bonded to the flow path unit. In the non-joint portion, a protrusion higher than the periphery of the nozzle is formed on the liquid ejection surface, and a filler is filled between the non-joint portion of the nozzle plate and the flow path unit. A droplet ejecting apparatus is provided. According to the 2nd aspect of this invention, it can suppress that a protrusion part is pressed by a wiper at the time of wiping, and deform | transforms.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the flow path unit in which the liquid flow path is formed, the nozzle communicating with the liquid flow path, and the liquid ejection surface on which the emission port of the nozzle is disposed are formed. A nozzle plate having a liquid repellent film, and a protrusion higher than the periphery of the nozzle is formed on the liquid ejection surface of the nozzle plate, and between the protrusion of the nozzle plate and the flow path unit. A liquid droplet ejecting apparatus is provided in which a space independent of the liquid flow path is formed, and the independent space is filled with a pressurized fluid .

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, a space independent of the liquid flow path is formed between the protruding portion of the nozzle plate and the flow path unit. This space can function as a damper for attenuating the pressure wave propagating in the liquid flow path when the droplet is ejected. Therefore, by providing the space independently of the flow path unit, the pressure wave propagating in the liquid flow path can be quickly attenuated, and the characteristics of droplet ejection can be kept good.

Even if the nozzle plate is relatively thin at the protrusion, the pressurized fluid is filled in the space between the protrusion and the flow path unit. On the other hand, the protrusion can maintain sufficient strength.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the flow path unit in which the liquid flow path is formed, the nozzle communicating with the liquid flow path, and the liquid ejection surface on which the emission port of the nozzle is disposed are formed. A liquid droplet ejecting apparatus comprising a nozzle plate having a liquid repellent film, wherein a concave portion is formed in a predetermined portion of the nozzle plate or a portion facing the predetermined portion of the flow path unit. A step of forming a recess, and a surface opposite to the liquid ejection surface of the nozzle plate so that the predetermined portion is a non-joined portion that is not joined to the flow path unit. in the portion comprising, forming a bonding step of bonding the flow path unit, a pre-Symbol unbonded portion of the nozzle plate, the projecting portion is bent to the side opposite to the channel unit than the surrounding of the nozzle Protrusion And a forming step, in the bonding step, in a state of forming a space by the recess between the channel unit and the non-joint portion of the nozzle plate, and bonding the nozzle plate to the channel unit, Provided is a method for manufacturing a droplet ejecting apparatus, wherein in the projecting portion forming step, a fluid is supplied into the space, and the non-joined portion is bent to the opposite side of the flow path unit by the fluid to form the projecting portion. Is done.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, after the nozzle plate is joined to the flow path unit around the nozzle, the protrusion is formed by inflating outside the non-joined part that is not joined to the flow path unit. For this reason, this protrusion protects the liquid repellent film formed around the nozzle from mechanical friction with a recording medium transported close to the liquid ejection surface, a wiper that operates during wiping, and the like. Damage to the liquid repellent film in the vicinity of the nozzle is prevented. Moreover, in this invention, the non-joining part which is separated from the circumference | surroundings of a nozzle is expanded to the opposite side to a flow path unit, and a protrusion part is formed. Therefore, as compared with the conventional case where the recesses are formed by processing the periphery of the nozzle, for example, by laser processing, strict accuracy control is not required, and the formation of the protruding portion is facilitated.

Further , since the fluid is supplied into the space between the non-joining portion of the nozzle plate and the flow path unit and the non-joining portion is inflated by this fluid to form the projecting portion, the projecting portion can be easily formed.

  In the method for manufacturing a droplet ejecting apparatus of the present invention, the nozzle plate may be made of a synthetic resin material. Thus, when the nozzle plate is made of a synthetic resin material with low rigidity, it is easy to deform the non-joined portion to form the protruding portion.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the flow path unit in which the liquid flow path is formed, the nozzle communicating with the liquid flow path, and the liquid ejection surface on which the emission port of the nozzle is disposed are formed. A liquid droplet ejecting apparatus comprising a nozzle plate having a liquid repellent film, wherein a surface of the nozzle plate opposite to the liquid ejecting surface is disposed at a portion including the periphery of the nozzle. A joining step for joining to the channel unit and a non-joined portion of the nozzle plate that is not joined to the channel unit are curved to the opposite side of the channel unit compared to the periphery of the nozzle to form a protrusion. and a projecting portion forming step, in the protruding part forming step, by bending the opposite side of the channel unit to the non-bonding portion is locally heated by a laser, form the protrusion liquid to Drop ejection equipment The method of manufacturing is provided. According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the nozzle plate is made of a material having high rigidity, such as a metal material, by using a laser forming process in which a workpiece is locally heated with a laser and formed into a desired shape. Even in this case, the protrusion can be easily formed.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the flow path unit in which the liquid flow path is formed, the nozzle communicating with the liquid flow path, and the liquid ejection surface on which the emission port of the nozzle is disposed are formed. A liquid droplet ejecting apparatus comprising a nozzle plate having a liquid repellent film, wherein a surface of the nozzle plate opposite to the liquid ejecting surface is disposed at a portion including the periphery of the nozzle. A joining step for joining to the channel unit and a non-joined portion of the nozzle plate that is not joined to the channel unit are curved to the opposite side of the channel unit compared to the periphery of the nozzle to form a protrusion. a protrusion forming step of manufacturing method of liquid droplet ejecting apparatus Ru and a filling step of filling a filler between the non-joining portion before Symbol nozzle plate and the channel unit is provided. According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, after the protrusion is formed, the protrusion is pressed and deformed by the wiper during wiping by filling the filler between the non-joining portion and the flow path unit. Can be suppressed.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described. This embodiment is an example in which the present invention is applied to an ink jet head that ejects ink from a nozzle onto a recording sheet as a droplet ejecting apparatus. First, the ink jet printer 100 including the ink jet head 1 will be briefly described. As shown in FIG. 1, an inkjet printer 100 includes a carriage 101 that can move in the scanning direction (left-right direction) in FIG. 1, and a serial inkjet that is provided on the carriage 101 and that ejects ink onto recording paper P. A head 1 and a conveying roller 102 that conveys the recording paper P forward in the paper feeding direction of FIG. 1 are provided. The inkjet head 1 moves in the scanning direction integrally with the carriage 101, and is arranged on the ink ejection surface 41 (droplet ejection surface: see FIGS. 3, 5, and 6) on the lower surface thereof (FIG. 3). Ink is ejected onto the recording paper P from the outlet of the reference. Then, the recording paper P on which characters and / or images are recorded by the inkjet head 1 is discharged forward in the paper feeding direction by the transport roller 102.

  Next, the inkjet head 1 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, the inkjet head 1 includes a flow path unit 2 in which a plurality of individual ink flow paths 21 (see FIG. 5) including the pressure chambers 16 are formed, and a plurality of individual ink flow paths 21. A nozzle plate 15 having a plurality of communicating nozzles 20 and a piezoelectric actuator 3 disposed on the upper surface of the flow path unit 2 are provided.

  First, the flow path unit 2 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the flow path unit 2 includes a cavity plate 10, a base plate 11, a manifold plate 12, and two cover plates 13 and 14, and these five plates 10 to 14 are provided. Bonded in a stacked state. The five plates 10 to 14 are stainless steel plates, and ink channels such as a manifold 17 and a pressure chamber 16 described later can be easily formed by etching. A nozzle plate 15 having a plurality of nozzles 20 is joined to the lower surface of the flow path unit 2 (the lower surface of the cover plate 14).

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the cavity plate 10 is formed with a plurality of pressure chambers 16 arranged adjacent to each other along a plane, and the plurality of pressure chambers 16 open upward. The plurality of pressure chambers 16 are arranged in two rows in the paper feeding direction (up and down direction in FIG. 2). Each pressure chamber 16 is formed in a substantially elliptical shape that is long in the scanning direction (left-right direction in FIG. 2) in plan view.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, communication holes 22 and 23 are formed at positions where the base plate 11 overlaps both longitudinal ends of the pressure chamber 16 in plan view. The manifold plate 12 is formed with a manifold 17 (common liquid chamber) extending in the paper feeding direction (vertical direction in FIG. 2). 2, 3, 5, and 6, the manifold 17 has a left half of the pressure chambers 16 arranged on the left side and a right side of the pressure chambers 16 arranged on the right side in plan view. They are arranged so as to overlap with the halves, and communicate with the pressure chamber 16 via the communication hole 22. The manifold 17 is covered with a cover plate 13 from below. The manifold 17 is connected to an ink supply port 18 formed in a vibration plate 30 described later, and ink is supplied from an ink tank (not shown) through the ink supply port 18. A plurality of communication holes 24 respectively connected to the plurality of communication holes 23 of the base plate 11 are also formed at positions where the manifold plate 12 overlaps the ends of the pressure chambers 16 opposite to the manifolds 17 in plan view. Yes.

  Communication holes 25 and 26 are formed at positions where the two cover plates 13 and 14 overlap with the communication holes 23 and 24 in plan view, respectively. As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5, the lower cover plate 14 has a central portion of the pressure chambers 16 arranged in two rows in a region away from the communication hole 26 in the scanning direction. Two through-holes 27 (space forming holes) that overlap each other and extend in the paper feeding direction are formed. As shown in FIG. 2, the through-hole 27 is arranged so that most of the through-hole 27 overlaps the manifold 17 in the width direction (scanning direction) in plan view.

  The nozzle plate 15 is made of a polymer synthetic resin material such as polyimide. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the nozzle plate 15 overlaps the communication holes 23 (24, 25, 26) in a plan view. The nozzle 20 is formed. That is, the plurality of nozzles 20 are arranged in two rows in the paper feed direction (vertical direction in FIGS. 2 and 3: first direction) corresponding to the plurality of pressure chambers 16, respectively. The nozzle plate 15 is bonded to the lower surface of the cover plate 14 with an adhesive at a portion (including the vicinity of the nozzle 20) excluding a portion facing the through hole 27. That is, the portion of the nozzle plate 15 that faces the two through holes 27 of the cover plate 14 is a non-joining portion 45 that is not joined to the cover plate 14, and between this non-joining portion 45 and the flow path unit 2, A space 40 defined by the through hole 27 of the cover plate 14 (first plate) is formed. Further, the space 40 is partitioned by a manifold 17 (common liquid chamber) and a cover plate 13 (second plate) which are part of the ink flow path. That is, the space 40 does not communicate with the manifold 17 and the space 40 and the manifold 17 are independent from each other.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, in the flow path unit 2, a communication path 28 that communicates the space 40 in the through hole 27 and the outside via an air supply port 29 formed in the diaphragm 30 described later. Is formed. The air supply port 29 is connected to pressurizing means (not shown) such as an air pump, and the pressurized air is supplied to the spaces 40 in the two through holes 27 via the air supply port 29 and the communication passage 28. Thus, a later-described protruding portion 43 protruding downward can be formed on the nozzle plate 15. The protrusion 43 will be described in detail later.

  As shown in FIGS. 3, 5, and 6, the ink ejection surface 41 (droplet ejection surface) on which the emission ports of the plurality of nozzles 20 are arranged on the lower surface of the nozzle plate 15 does not wet the ink. A liquid repellent film 42 having high liquid repellency for preventing the entire surface is formed. The liquid repellent film 42 is formed, for example, by applying a fluorine resin.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the manifold 17 communicates with the pressure chamber 16 through the communication hole 22, and the pressure chamber 16 communicates with the nozzle 20 through the communication holes 23 to 26. As described above, the individual ink flow paths 21 extending from the manifold 17 to the nozzles 20 through the pressure chambers 16 are formed inside the flow path unit 2 and the nozzle plate 15.

  Although not particularly shown in FIG. 1, the inkjet printer 100 of the present embodiment is provided with a purge unit that performs a purge operation for forcibly ejecting ink from the nozzle 20 when the nozzle 20 is clogged. ing. The purge unit is disposed at a position outside the area where the recording paper P is conveyed in the scanning direction of the ink jet head 1 (the horizontal direction in FIG. 1). The purge unit includes a cap that covers the ink ejection surface 41 of the inkjet head 1, a purge pump connected to the cap, a wiper that can move in the scanning direction relative to the inkjet head 1, and the like. When performing a purge operation with this purge unit, the inkjet head 1 is moved to a position above the purge unit, a cap is attached so as to cover the ink ejection surface 41, and then each nozzle 20 is removed by a purge pump. Draw out ink. Thereafter, the wiper is relatively moved in the scanning direction to remove ink, dust and the like adhering to the ink ejection surface 41 (wiping).

  By the way, since the recording paper P is conveyed with a very small gap (for example, about 1 mm) between the ink ejection surface 41, the recording paper P comes into contact with the ink ejection surface 41 during transportation, The liquid repellent film 42 may be damaged, for example, it may be peeled off. Further, during the wiping operation by the wiper described above, the liquid repellent film 42 may be damaged by mechanical friction with the wiper moving in the scanning direction. When the liquid-repellent film 42 around the nozzle 20 is damaged due to such factors, pressure is applied to the ink in the pressure chamber 16 by the piezoelectric actuator 3 described later, and the ink is ejected from the nozzle 20. When this is done, the ejection direction of the ink droplets from a certain nozzle 20 is inclined with respect to the normal direction, and there is a risk that the print quality will deteriorate.

  Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, in this embodiment, the nozzle plate 15 is not located at a position away from the nozzle 20 and not joined to the flow path unit 2 (cover plate 14). A protruding portion 43 swelled downward (in the direction opposite to the flow path unit 2) from the periphery of the nozzle 20 is formed in the joint portion 45. In addition, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the two protrusions 43 are arranged on both outer sides of the region where the plurality of nozzles 20 are formed in the scanning direction orthogonal to the paper feed direction that is the arrangement direction of the nozzles 20. The two protrusions 43 each extend in the paper feeding direction.

  Accordingly, the liquid repellent film 42 formed on the periphery of the nozzle 20 by the two protrusions 43 includes the recording paper P transported in the vicinity of the ink ejecting surface 41 and the wiper that contacts the ink ejecting surface 41 during wiping. The liquid repellent film 42 around the nozzle 20 can be prevented from being damaged as much as possible. In addition, since the two protrusions 43 are formed in both outer regions with respect to the scanning direction than the region where the nozzle 20 is formed, the wiper that moves in the scanning direction during wiping causes the liquid repellency around the nozzle 20 Contact with the film 42 can also be reliably prevented.

  As will be described in detail later in the description of the manufacturing process, the two protrusions 43 supply pressurized air to the space 40 formed between the non-joining part 45 of the nozzle plate 15 and the flow path unit 2. The non-joint portion 45 is formed by inflating the non-joint portion 45 to the opposite side (lower side) of the flow path unit 2 with this air. In the present embodiment, the protruding height H of the protruding portion 43 is about 1/10 (about 5 μm) of the thickness T (for example, about 50 μm) of the nozzle plate 15.

  Moreover, as shown in FIG. 5, the surface of the protrusion 43 is formed in a smoothly continuous curved surface. That is, there is no step on the surface of the protrusion 43. For this reason, at the time of the above-described wiping, ink, dust, and the like attached to the ink ejection surface 41 can be easily removed with the wiper.

  Next, the piezoelectric actuator 3 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 to 6, the piezoelectric actuator 3 includes a vibration plate 30 disposed on the upper surface of the cavity plate 10, a piezoelectric layer 31 formed on the upper surface of the vibration plate 30, and the piezoelectric layer. A plurality of individual electrodes 32 formed respectively corresponding to the plurality of pressure chambers 16 are provided on the upper surface of 31.

  The diaphragm 30 is a plate made of a substantially rectangular metal material in plan view, and is made of, for example, an iron-based alloy such as stainless steel, a copper-based alloy, a nickel-based alloy, or a titanium-based alloy. The diaphragm 30 is disposed on the upper surface of the cavity plate 10 so as to cover the plurality of pressure chambers 16, and is joined to the cavity plate 10. The metal diaphragm 30 has conductivity and is always kept at the ground potential. The diaphragm 30 also serves as a common electrode for applying an electric field to the piezoelectric layer 31 sandwiched between the individual electrodes 32.

  On the upper surface of the diaphragm 30, a piezoelectric layer 31 mainly composed of lead zirconate titanate (PZT), which is a solid solution and is a ferroelectric substance, is formed of lead titanate and lead zirconate. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the piezoelectric layer 31 is continuously formed across the plurality of pressure chambers 16 on the upper surface of the vibration plate 30.

  A plurality of individual electrodes 32 having an elliptical planar shape that is slightly smaller than the pressure chamber 16 are formed on the upper surface of the piezoelectric layer 31. The individual electrode 32 is formed at a position overlapping the central portion of the corresponding pressure chamber 16 in plan view. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the individual electrodes 32 are arranged in two rows in the paper feed direction (vertical direction in FIG. 2) corresponding to the pressure chambers 16. The individual electrode 32 is made of a conductive material such as gold, copper, silver, palladium, platinum, or titanium. Further, a plurality of wiring portions 35 extending in parallel with the longitudinal direction of the individual electrode 32 (left and right direction in FIG. 2) from the end of the individual electrode 32 on the manifold 17 side are also formed on the upper surface of the piezoelectric layer 31. As shown in FIG. 5, the wiring part 35 is electrically connected to the driver IC 37 through a flexible wiring member such as a flexible printed circuit (FPC). Then, a drive voltage is selectively applied from the driver IC 37 to the plurality of individual electrodes 32 through the plurality of wiring portions.

  Next, the operation of the piezoelectric actuator 3 during the ink discharge operation will be described. When a driving voltage is selectively applied to the plurality of individual electrodes 32 from the driver IC 37, the individual electrodes 32 on the upper side of the piezoelectric layer 31 to which the driving voltage is supplied and the lower side of the piezoelectric layer 31 held at the ground potential. The electric potential of the diaphragm 30 as the common electrode becomes different, and an electric field in the vertical direction is generated in the portion of the piezoelectric layer 31 sandwiched between the individual electrode 32 and the diaphragm 30. Here, when the polarization direction of the piezoelectric layer 31 and the direction of the electric field are the same, the piezoelectric layer 31 contracts in a horizontal direction orthogonal to the vertical direction that is the polarization direction. At this time, since the vibration plate 30 is joined to the cavity plate 10, the vibration plate 30 is deformed so as to protrude toward the pressure chamber 16 as the piezoelectric layer 31 contracts. Accordingly, the volume in the pressure chamber 16 is reduced, pressure is applied to the ink in the pressure chamber 16, and ink droplets are ejected from the nozzle 20 communicating with the pressure chamber 16.

  When pressure is applied to ink in a certain pressure chamber 16, a certain amount of pressure variation occurs in the manifold 17 communicating with the plurality of pressure chambers 16. Since the ejection characteristics of the droplets may vary, such as the volume and velocity of the droplets ejected from the nozzle 20 communicating with the nozzle 20, it is preferable to attenuate this pressure fluctuation quickly. Here, in the present embodiment, the two through holes 27 (the first plate) between the nozzle plate 15 and the cover plate 13 (second plate) are overlapped with the manifold 17 so that most of them overlap the manifold 17. A space forming hole) is formed, and the space 40 and the manifold 17 in these two through holes 27 are partitioned by the cover plate 13 and independent of each other. That is, since the portion of the cover plate 13 that faces both the through hole 27 and the manifold 17 functions as a damper, the pressure fluctuation in the manifold 17 can be attenuated more quickly.

  Next, a method for manufacturing the above-described inkjet head 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. First, ink channels such as the manifold 17 and the pressure chamber 16 are formed on the five plates 10 to 14 constituting the channel unit 2 by etching or the like. At the same time, two through-holes 27 are formed in the cover plate 14, and the communication passage 28 and the air supply port 29 (see FIG. 5) communicating with the two plates 10-14 and the vibration plate 30 are connected to the two through-holes 27. 2, see FIG. Then, as shown in FIG. 7A, these five plates 10 to 14 and the vibration plate 30 are laminated and joined to produce the flow path unit 2. At this time, the opening on the pressure chamber 16 side of the through hole 27 of the cover plate 14 is closed by the cover plate 13, thereby forming a recess 48 in the flow path unit 2 (recess forming step).

  Next, laser processing using an excimer laser or the like is performed on a substrate made of a synthetic resin material such as polyimide to form a plurality of nozzles 20, and the nozzle plate 15 is manufactured. Then, as shown in FIG. 7B, the upper surface (the surface opposite to the ink ejection surface 41) of the nozzle plate 15 is bonded to the cover plate 14 with an adhesive (bonding step). At this time, the space 40 is formed between the nozzle plate 15 and the cover plate 13 by closing the opening of the through hole 27 opposite to the pressure chamber 16 (opening of the recess 48) by the non-joining portion 45 of the nozzle plate 15. However, the nozzle plate 15 is joined to the flow path unit 2 at a portion (including the vicinity of the nozzle 20) other than the non-joining portion 45 facing the through hole 27. Further, as shown in FIG. 7C, a liquid repellent film 42 made of a fluorine-based resin is formed on the ink ejection surface 41 (lower surface of the nozzle plate 15) on which the emission ports of the plurality of nozzles 20 are arranged by a method such as spin coating. Form. In manufacturing the nozzle plate 15, the water repellent film 42 may be formed on the substrate in advance before forming the plurality of nozzles 20.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 7D, an air supply port 29 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) formed in the diaphragm 30 and a communication path 28 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) formed in the flow path unit 2. The pressurized air 46 is supplied to the space 40 in the through hole 27 via the reference), and the non-bonding portion 45 of the nozzle plate 15 is deformed by the air 46 to be below (opposite side to the flow path unit 2). And projecting portion 43 projecting into a smooth curved surface (projecting portion forming step). Here, since the nozzle plate 15 is made of a synthetic resin material having a rigidity lower than that of a metal material or the like, the non-joint portion 45 is deformed even by air having a relatively low pressure (for example, about 0.1 to 0.2 MPa). The protrusion 43 can be easily formed. In addition, since the cover plate 13 is made of metal, only the non-joining portion 45 of the nozzle plate 15 can be deformed without deforming the portion of the cover plate 13 that partitions the manifold 17 and the space 40. Note that the protrusion 43 can be formed by pressurizing and injecting a gas other than air or a liquid such as water into the space 40. In addition, in a state where the non-joining portion 45 of the nozzle plate 15 is deformed, the deformation of the non-joining portion 45 of the nozzle plate 15 is fixed by heating the nozzle plate 15 to about 150 to 250 ° C. By heating the nozzle plate 15 in this way, the non-joining portion 45 of the nozzle plate 15 can be maintained in a deformed state even if the pressure in the space 40 is subsequently returned to normal pressure.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 7E, a piezoelectric layer 31 is formed on the upper surface of the diaphragm 30. The piezoelectric layer 31 can be formed by, for example, an aerosol deposition method (AD method) in which particles of a piezoelectric material are sprayed and deposited on the diaphragm 30 together with a carrier gas at a high speed. Alternatively, a sputtering method, a chemical vapor deposition method (CVD method), a sol-gel method, a solution coating method, a hydrothermal synthesis method, or the like can be used. Further, the piezoelectric layer 31 may be formed by attaching a piezoelectric sheet obtained by firing a green sheet to the vibration plate 30. Further, patterns of the individual electrodes 32 and the wiring portions 35 are formed on the upper surface of the piezoelectric layer 31 by screen printing or the like.

  In the above description, the liquid repellent film 42 is formed on the lower surface of the nozzle plate 15 (FIG. 7C), and then the non-joint portion 45 is inflated to form the protruding portion 43 (FIG. 7D). The liquid repellent film 42 may be formed on the lower surface of the nozzle plate 15 after the formation of the nozzle 43.

  According to the inkjet head 1 and the manufacturing method thereof described above, the following effects can be obtained. The nozzle plate 15 is bonded to the flow path unit 2 at a portion including the periphery of the nozzle 20, and further, a protrusion 43 that protrudes to the opposite side of the flow path unit 2 to the non-bonded portion 45 that is away from the periphery of the nozzle 20. Is formed. Therefore, the recording paper P conveyed close to the ink ejection surface 41 and the wiper that contacts the ink ejection surface 41 during wiping contact the liquid repellent film 42 formed around the nozzle 20 by the protrusion 43. This makes it difficult to damage the liquid repellent film 42 around the nozzle 20 as much as possible. In addition, since the two protrusions 43 are formed in both outer regions with respect to the scanning direction than the region in which the nozzle 20 is formed, the wiper that moves in the scanning direction during wiping causes the liquid repellent around the nozzle 20 It is possible to more reliably prevent the liquid repellent film 42 from being damaged due to contact with the film 42.

  Since the surface of the protrusion 43 is formed in a smoothly continuous curved surface, the wiper removes ink, dust, or the like adhering to the ink ejection surface 41 during wiping as compared to the case where the surface has a step. Makes it easier to remove.

  By supplying pressurized air into the space 40 between the nozzle plate 15 and the flow path unit 2 (cover plate 14), the non-joining portion 45 away from the periphery of the nozzle 20 is expanded downward. Since the protrusion 43 is formed, strict accuracy control is not required, and the protrusion 43 is easily formed as compared with the case where the recess is formed by performing special processing such as laser processing around the nozzle 20. be able to.

  In the present embodiment, the nozzles 20 are provided in a row along a direction (paper feeding direction) orthogonal to the scanning direction of the inkjet head 2. Since the inkjet printer 100 of the present embodiment is a serial type, the inkjet head 2 ejects ink while moving in the scanning direction. At this time, if the scanning speed at which the inkjet head 2 moves in the scanning direction is compared with the paper feeding speed at which the recording paper is fed in the paper feeding direction, the scanning speed is overwhelmingly higher. Therefore, by disposing the protrusion 43 on the upstream side and the downstream side in the scanning direction with respect to the nozzle 20, the effect of the protrusion 43 preventing damage to the liquid repellent film 42 around the nozzle 20 can be enhanced. On the other hand, in the case of a line printer, since the recording paper is fed at a high speed, by providing protrusions on the upstream side and the downstream side in the paper feed direction with respect to the nozzles, the protrusions are repelled around the nozzles. The effect of preventing damage to the liquid film can be enhanced. Normally, in the case of a serial type inkjet head, the nozzles are arranged in a row along the paper feed direction, and in the case of a line type inkjet head, the nozzles are arranged in a row along a direction perpendicular to the paper feed direction. Placed in. Therefore, in these cases, by providing the protrusions in parallel with the nozzle arrangement direction, the effect of the protrusions preventing damage to the liquid repellent film around the nozzles can be enhanced.

  Next, modified embodiments in which various modifications are made to the embodiment will be described. However, components having the same configuration as in the above embodiment are given the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted as appropriate.

<First modification>
As shown in FIG. 8, in the ink ejection surface 41 </ b> A of the nozzle plate 15 </ b> A, the protruding portion 43 </ b> A may be formed in an annular shape so as to surround a region where the plurality of nozzles 20 are formed. In this configuration, when the recording paper P (see FIG. 1) is transported in the paper feeding direction (vertical direction in FIG. 8), the recording paper P becomes more difficult to contact the liquid repellent film 42 in the vicinity of the nozzle 20. Further, damage to the liquid repellent film 42 can be prevented more reliably.

<Second modification>
The protrusions do not necessarily have to be formed so as to extend continuously in parallel with the arrangement direction of the nozzles. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, in a region on both outer sides in the scanning direction than a region where the plurality of nozzles 20 are arranged, a plurality of circular protrusions 43B are parallel to the arrangement direction (paper feed direction) of the nozzles 20. May be arranged discretely. In the second modification, a plurality of spaces 40B are formed between the nozzle plate 15B and the flow path unit 2B, and the plurality of spaces 40B communicate with each other through the communication path 50. A plurality of protrusions 43B are formed by supplying air supplied from one air supply port 29 to the plurality of spaces 40B via the communication passages 28 and 50, respectively.

<Third modification>
The thickness of the non-joined part of the nozzle plate may be thinner than the thickness of the other part of the nozzle plate. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, a groove 51 is formed on the inner side (flow channel unit 2 side) of the non-joining part 45C of the nozzle plate 15C, and the thickness of the part where the groove 51 is formed is compared with other parts. It may be thin. In this configuration, it becomes easier to inflate the non-joining portion 45C with the air supplied into the space 40C, and the formation of the protruding portion 43C is simplified.

<Fourth modification>
In the above embodiment, a through hole 27 is provided in the cover plate 14 of the flow path unit 2 to form a recess on the flow path unit 2 side, and a fluid such as air flows between the flow path unit 2 and the nozzle plate 15. Although the space 40 to be supplied is formed (see FIG. 5), as shown in FIG. 11, by providing a groove 27D (concave portion) instead of the through hole 27 on the lower surface of the cover plate 14D, the flow path unit A space 40D may be formed between 2D and the nozzle plate 15, and air or the like may be supplied to the space 40D to form the protrusion 43D.

<Fifth modification>
Further, as shown in FIG. 12, by forming a groove 51E (concave portion) on the upper surface of the nozzle plate 15E and providing a non-joining portion 45E, a space 40E is formed between the flow path unit 2E and the nozzle plate 15E. The projecting portion 43E may be formed by supplying air or the like to the space 40E.

<Sixth modification>
Furthermore, even if a recess is not formed in the flow path unit or the nozzle plate, it is possible to supply a fluid such as air between them to form a protrusion on the nozzle plate. First, as shown in FIG. 13A, without forming grooves and through holes in both the lowermost cover plate 13 and the nozzle plate 15 of the flow path unit 2F, the nozzle plate 15 is moved to the flow path unit 2F (cover plate 13). However, the adhesive is not applied to the lower surface of the cover plate 13 and the upper surface of the nozzle plate 15 at a part slightly away from the periphery of the nozzle 20 in the scanning direction, and at this part (non-joint part 45F), The nozzle plate 15 is not joined. At this time, a gap corresponding to the thickness of the adhesive is formed between the cover plate 13 and the non-bonding portion 45F of the nozzle plate 15. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 13B, between the cover plate 13 and the non-joined portion 45F of the nozzle plate 15 via the air supply port 29 and the communication path 28 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) as in the above embodiment. By supplying pressurized air to the gap, the non-joining part 45F can be inflated to form the protruding part 43F.

<Seventh modification>
After the protrusion is formed on the nozzle plate, a step of filling a filler (filling step) between the flow path unit and the non-joined portion (protrusion) of the nozzle plate may be performed. For example, as shown in FIG. 14, after air is supplied to the space 40 to form the protrusion 43, the air supply port 29 and the communication path 28 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) are used in the space 40 under reduced pressure conditions. After the liquid filler 52 is filled, the filler 52 is solidified. As the filler 52, for example, a thermosetting resin such as an epoxy resin can be used. Alternatively, the filling material 52 can be filled with a pressurized fluid such as pressurized liquid or gas. In this case, the pressurized fluid can be filled in the step of forming the protrusion. As described above, when the filler 52 is filled in the space 40 between the flow path unit 2 and the non-joining portion 45 (projecting portion 43) of the nozzle plate 15, the projecting portion 43 is pressed by the wiper during wiping. Deformation is suppressed.

<Eighth modification>
In the embodiment, a space 40 to which a fluid such as air is supplied is formed between the nozzle plate 15 and the flow path unit 2 independently from the ink flow paths such as the manifold 17 in the flow path unit 2. However, the space to which air or the like is supplied may constitute a part of the ink flow path (see FIG. 5). For example, as shown in FIG. 15, if the nozzle plate 15 is joined to the lower surface of the manifold plate 12 so as to cover the manifold 17, the manifold of the nozzle plate 15 is supplied by supplying air or the like into the manifold 17. The non-joining part 45G that is not joined to the plate 12 can be expanded downward to form the protruding part 43G. In this configuration, it is not necessary to form a space for supplying air or the like separately from the ink flow path, and the manufacturing process can be simplified. In addition, the number of plates constituting the flow path unit 2G can be reduced.

<Ninth modification>
The method of forming the protrusion by expanding the non-joined portion of the nozzle plate is not limited to the above-described method of supplying a fluid such as pressurized air between the flow path unit and the nozzle plate. For example, when the nozzle plate is made of a metal material, it is possible to use a laser forming process that forms a desired shape by locally heating a processing target with a laser. In this case, as shown in FIG. 16, when the two portions of the non-joining portion 45 of the nozzle plate 15 are locally heated by irradiating laser from below as indicated by arrows, the plate thicknesses at these heating locations are as follows. A temperature gradient is generated in the direction, and bending deformation is generated in the heated portion due to a difference in the amount of thermal deformation caused by the temperature gradient. Then, the part between these two heating places will swell downward (direction opposite to the flow path unit 2), and the protrusion part 43 will be formed. Thus, when the nozzle plate 15 is made of a material having high rigidity such as a metal material, it is quite difficult to form the protrusion 43 by the above-described method using a pressurized fluid, but if this laser forming process is used, The protrusion 43 can be easily formed.

  As mentioned above, although the form which applied this invention to the inkjet head was described taking the embodiment and its modification as an example, the form which can apply this invention is not restricted to these forms. For example, the present invention can be applied to an ink jet printer of a line head, and the present invention can be applied to various droplet ejecting apparatuses that eject droplets other than ink.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an ink jet printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the inkjet head. FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the inkjet head. 4 is a partially enlarged plan view of FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 7A to 7E are diagrams showing the manufacturing process of the ink jet head, FIG. 7A is a process for joining the plate and the diaphragm constituting the flow path unit, FIG. 7B is a process for joining the nozzle plate, and FIG. 7C is a process for forming a liquid repellent film. 7D shows a protrusion forming process, and FIG. 7E shows a piezoelectric layer and individual electrode forming process. FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the ink jet head according to the first modification. FIG. 9 is a bottom view of the ink jet head according to the second modified embodiment. FIG. 10 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 5 of the third modified embodiment. FIG. 11 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 5 of the fourth modified embodiment. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 5 of the fifth modification. 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating a part of the manufacturing process of the ink jet head according to the sixth modified embodiment, in which FIG. 13A illustrates a nozzle plate joining process, and FIG. 13B illustrates a protrusion forming process. FIG. 14 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 5 of the seventh modified embodiment. FIG. 15 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 5 of the eighth modification. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a protrusion forming step in the ninth modified embodiment.

1 Inkjet head 2, 2B, 2D, 2F, 2G Flow path unit 13 Cover plate (second plate)
14 Cover plate (first plate)
15, 15A, 15B, 15C, 15E Nozzle plate 17 Manifold 20 Nozzle 27 Through hole 27D Groove 28 Communication path 40, 40B, 40C, 40D, 40E Space 41, 41A Ink ejection surface 42 Liquid repellent film 43, 43A, 43B, 43C , 43D, 43E, 43F, 43G Protruding portion 45, 45C, 45E, 45F, 45G Non-joined portion 48 Recess 52 Filler

Claims (16)

A channel unit in which a liquid channel is formed;
A nozzle communicating with the liquid channel, and a liquid repellent film formed on a liquid ejection surface on which the nozzle outlet is disposed, and joined to the channel unit in a portion including the periphery of the nozzle; And a nozzle plate provided with a non-joining portion that is not joined to the flow path unit,
In the non-joining portion of the nozzle plate, a protrusion that is higher than the periphery of the nozzle is formed on the liquid ejection surface ,
A space is formed between the non-joining portion of the nozzle plate and the flow path unit to supply a fluid for bending the non-joining portion to the opposite side of the flow path unit to form the protruding portion. has been that the droplet ejection device.   The droplet ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the protruding portion is formed in a smoothly continuous curved surface. The space, the droplet ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 constitutes a portion of the liquid channel. The space is formed independently of the liquid channel,
The channel unit is liquid-droplet jetting apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 and a communication passage for communicating the said space and its outside. The nozzle is formed as a plurality of spray nozzles in the nozzle plate,
The liquid flow path has a common liquid chamber communicating with a plurality of the injection nozzles,
The flow path unit has a plurality of plates including a first plate and a second plate,
The plurality of plates respectively include a plurality of holes forming the liquid flow path, and are joined to each other in a stacked state,
A first plate having a space forming hole for forming the space is joined to the nozzle plate,
The liquid droplet according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the space and the common liquid chamber are separated by a second plate joined on a surface of the first plate opposite to the nozzle plate. Injection device. The nozzle plate, liquid-droplet jetting apparatus according to claim 1 which is formed of a synthetic resin material.   The droplet ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the nozzle plate is partially reduced at the non-joining portion.   The droplet ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is disposed so as to surround a region where the nozzle is formed.   2. The liquid droplet ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle is formed as a plurality of individual nozzles arranged in a row on the nozzle plate, and the protrusion is arranged in parallel to the row direction of the individual nozzles. . The nozzle is formed as a plurality of individual nozzles arranged in a row on the nozzle plate,
The flow path unit and the nozzle plate are configured to be integrally movable in a direction orthogonal to the row direction of the individual nozzles,
10. The droplet ejecting apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the protrusion is disposed outside a region where the plurality of individual nozzles are formed in the nozzle plate in a direction orthogonal to the row direction. A channel unit in which a liquid channel is formed;
A nozzle communicating with the liquid channel, and a liquid repellent film formed on a liquid ejection surface on which the nozzle outlet is disposed, and joined to the channel unit in a portion including the periphery of the nozzle; And a nozzle plate provided with a non-joining portion that is not joined to the flow path unit,
In the non-joining portion of the nozzle plate, a protrusion that is higher than the periphery of the nozzle is formed on the liquid ejection surface,
Droplet jetting apparatus filler that is filled between the non-joining portion of the nozzle plate and the channel unit. A channel unit in which a liquid channel is formed;
A nozzle communicating with the liquid flow path, and a nozzle plate having a liquid repellent film formed on a liquid ejection surface on which the emission port of the nozzle is disposed,
A protrusion higher than the periphery of the nozzle is formed on the liquid ejection surface of the nozzle plate, and a space independent of the liquid flow path is formed between the protrusion of the nozzle plate and the flow path unit. Formed ,
A droplet ejecting apparatus in which the independent space is filled with a pressurized fluid . A flow path unit in which a liquid flow path is formed, a nozzle communicating with the liquid flow path, and a nozzle plate having a liquid repellent film formed on a liquid ejection surface on which an emission port of the nozzle is disposed. A method for manufacturing a liquid droplet ejecting apparatus comprising:
A recess forming step of forming a recess in a predetermined portion of the nozzle plate or a portion facing the predetermined portion of the flow path unit;
In the portion including the periphery of the nozzle on the surface opposite to the liquid ejection surface of the nozzle plate so that the predetermined portion is a non-joined portion that is not joined to the flow passage unit. Joining process to join the unit;
The pre-Symbol unbonded portion of the nozzle plate, and a projecting portion forming step of forming a projecting portion by curving the side opposite to the channel unit than around the nozzle,
In the joining step, the nozzle plate is joined to the flow path unit in a state where a space is formed by the recess between the non-joined portion of the nozzle plate and the flow path unit,
A method of manufacturing a droplet ejecting apparatus, wherein in the projecting portion forming step, a fluid is supplied into the space, and the non-joined portion is bent to the opposite side of the flow path unit by the fluid to form the projecting portion . The method for manufacturing a droplet ejecting apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the nozzle plate is formed of a synthetic resin material. A flow path unit in which a liquid flow path is formed, a nozzle communicating with the liquid flow path, and a nozzle plate having a liquid repellent film formed on a liquid ejection surface on which an emission port of the nozzle is disposed. A method for manufacturing a liquid droplet ejecting apparatus comprising:
A bonding step of bonding the surface of the nozzle plate opposite to the liquid ejecting surface to the flow path unit in a portion including the periphery of the nozzle;
A projecting portion forming step of forming a projecting portion by bending a non-joined portion of the nozzle plate that is not joined to the flow channel unit to the opposite side of the flow channel unit as compared to the periphery of the nozzle;
Wherein the protruding part forming step, the by bending to the side opposite to the channel unit is heated locally with a laser non-joint method of a liquid droplet jetting apparatus you forming the projecting portion. A flow path unit in which a liquid flow path is formed, a nozzle communicating with the liquid flow path, and a nozzle plate having a liquid repellent film formed on a liquid ejection surface on which an emission port of the nozzle is disposed. A method for manufacturing a liquid droplet ejecting apparatus comprising:
A bonding step of bonding the surface of the nozzle plate opposite to the liquid ejecting surface to the flow path unit in a portion including the periphery of the nozzle;
A protrusion forming step of forming a protrusion by bending a non-bonded portion of the nozzle plate that is not bonded to the flow path unit to the opposite side of the flow path unit as compared to the periphery of the nozzle;
Manufacturing method of the preceding Symbol droplet ejecting apparatus Ru and a filling step of filling a filler between the non-joint portion of the nozzle plate and the channel unit.

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